West Tennessee State Penitentiary

Know somebody at West Tennessee State Penitentiary? West Tennessee State Penitentiary is a state prison in the Tennessee Department of Correction. This guide tells you information about everything related to West Tennessee State Penitentiary,like: How to do a prison inmate search. Visitation policies and procedures. The prisons’s phone number and address. Mailing or sending money to an inmate at West Tennessee State Penitentiary. And more…

General Prison Information

Contact Information

In this section you have the mailing address and street address for West Tennessee State Penitentiary. Use the mailing address if you are going to mail a letter or package to someone at West Tennessee State Penitentiary, and be sure to use the physical address if you need to know the location of West Tennessee State Penitentiary.

Mailing Address

You should also read the Inmate Mail and Package Procedures heading on this page before you send something to a prisoner so that you properly write the address, and use the correct steps for sending a letter or package. If you don’t use the appropriate directions, the package or letter might not get to the inmate.

Directions

Phone Number

Prisoners don’t have phones in their cells, so you won’t be able to call inmates, but, there are some times when it is helpful to know the telephone number to West Tennessee State Penitentiary.

(731) 738-5044

West Tennessee State Penitentiary prisoners can sometimes make calls using various methods:

Calling Cards

Collect Calls

Dedicated Phone Line

Prison Calling Plan

Fax Number

Inmates don’t have access to fax machines, so you won’t be able to fax a letter to prisoners, but there are times when it may be useful to know the fax number to West Tennessee State Penitentiary.

Email Address

The email address listed below is the main email for the prison. You cannot reach prisoners using this address. If you want to find out how to send an email to a prisoner, check out the Inmate Email heading on this page.

Inmate and Staff Statistics

Inmate Email

To send email to an inmate at West Tennessee State Penitentiary you must follow an specific procedure to ensure that the email letter gets to your inmate.

Inmate Internet Access

Inmates do not have access to the internet.

Inmate Mail and Package Procedures

There are important protocols that you must follow when mailing a letter or package to a prisoner. If you do not then letter or package might not be received.

Before you send a package or letter, you should read the sections below:

Mail Monitoring

Institution employees will open and read and inspect all incoming general postal correspondence. Received general correspondence can be read as frequently as is deemed necessary to ensure security and safety or monitor a particular problem regarding inmates.

How to Address a Letter to an Inmate

Shown here is the proper format for how you should address mail to a state prisoner at West Tennessee State Penitentiary:

Inmate Money

Each prison has a Commissary that serves to provide a bank-like account for inmate funds and for purchasing things not issued by the correctional facility.

How to Send an Inmate Money

Friends, family, or other people may add money to these Commissary accounts using the U.S. Postal Service and Western Union.

Via U.S. Postal Service: An inmate’s family and friends are able to send inmates funds in the postal service and have to send it to this address and do so in accordance with the policies shows below:

The money must be in the form of a money order that is made out to the inmate’s full committed name and complete eight-digit register number. You are advised to use a U.S. Postal Service money order, since all non-postal money orders processed through the National Lockbox will be placed on a 15-day hold, and during this hold period the inmate will not get the money. The Bureau of Prisons will return any funds that don’t have correct prisoner info if the envelope it was sent it has a valid return address. Checks and cash can’t be accepted so do not send cash or checks.

Inmate Locator

State prison inmates are from time to time transported to different prisons throughout the Tennessee prison system, so you may have to find what facility an inmate is at using the inmate locator. Click on the link here to find an West Tennessee State Penitentiary inmate.Inmate Search

Inmate Visitation

Before you visit West Tennessee State Penitentiary, you must be aware of this information:

Visitation Schedule

Visitation Rules

Visitation Application

Inmate Visitation Schedule

Inmate Visitor Procedures

Each correctional facility in Tennessee has its own policies for prisoner visitation and these policies change regularly. The information listed below could be changed since this was written, so make sure to also read West Tennessee State Penitentiary’s official website to find the most up to date visitation procedures.

Visitation Sign-In and Check-In

The entrance officer will ensure every visitor signs the prison visitors log before they enter the facility and upon exiting.

Identification Required

Positive picture ID of visitors will be required. The best forms of identification are Driver’s License and Social Security Card; but, a state issued photo id is OK.

For everything shown below, check out the official correctional facility website as this info is updated often:

Visitation Rules

Visitation Dress Code

Things You Can and Cannot Take to Visitation

Special Rules For Childred, Special Visits, Pastoral or Attorney Visits

Website

Victim Resources

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

You have the right to protection from the accused.

You have the right to notification.

You have the right to attend proceedings.

You have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.

You have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.

You have the right to restitution.

You have the right to a speedy trial.

You have the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The definition of victim includes:

Spouses and children of all victims.

Parents and guardians of minor victims.

Parents, guardians and siblings of mentally or physically incapacitated victims or victims of homicide.

Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances.

There are a number of services and programs designed to help victims and their families. You can find out about these services by contacting the courthouse, or local law enforcement agency.

Victim Notification

The Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS) is a system that provides victims with information pertaining to their case and/or any defendants in the case. You will receive a Victim Identification Number (VIN) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow you to access VNS via the internet or by phone. Here, you will find information about future court hearings, historical court events, and detailed information about the defendant. This will include criminal charges filed, the outcome of charges, sentence imposed, custody location, projected release date and any other release information. The VNS website is updated daily. You will also receive any ongoing information by mail or email.

Have you, a family member or friend ever used the Victim Notification System? If so, was it effective? Did you get the information in a timely manner? Was the system difficult to use? We would like to hear from you, so please post any comments here.